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Cleaning my house...and my dirty little confession...

I need words of encouragement! I know how this is going to sound...but whatever, it's just some thing that happened and I am trying to get back on track.

I am normally a very clean person. Not OCD, but I've known to take a toothbrush to grout to get it clean. :) Anyway, since my daughter was born I've literally done no housework. Just the minimum to get by. Most nights the dishes get rinsed, but never washed and put away. There is clutter everywhere, my carpets haven't been vacuumed in like two days (which at my house is bad because of the sand and the kids). Also, the laundry...well, it's BAD. I was like, oh I can put this off for a while. Well, today is the day that the straw broke the camels back.

One: I saw a palmetto bug. A HUGE one. Here in Florida we have bugs...lot's and lot's of bugs. Well, a palmetto is just a huge cockroach (they can get to be the size of the palm of your hand. And, the best part about them? Those buggers can fly! Oh yes...airborne cockroaches...let that sink in for a moment.

Two: My husband and I are going out on a date night, so we have hired a babysitter for the first time ever. I am SO excited! However, I would be embarrassed for someone to walk into my house right now.

So, I need encouragement. I know I can get this done. I cannot believe I let my depression and laziness get the best of me, and allow myself to let things get this bad. My kids do not deserve to live like this. :( I feel awful about it. I am going to get this done, and by tomorrow evening I will be updating saying my house is immaculate, and everything is going to be okay.

Please, some good words, and maybe some tips? I know there are OCD mommy's on here that can give me some pointers. A few questions...

Are magic erasers worth the money?What's a good multi-purpose cleaner?How do you get permanent marker off of a fridge? (it's the pitted surface kind)What's your favorite air freshner?And, are carpet deoderizers worth it? And, what would YOU recommend?

Magic erasers ARE worthy he money and should get the marker off the fridge, it worked on my two yr olds artwork (marker on the wall) but it was a really small amount of marker.
I only burn candles (pink zebra, yum) so I can't help with air freshener.
Baking soda for the carpets work but our carpet has never smelled really bad, just normal wear. If you have pets then you might want to try a pet deodorizer.
If you like the smell of vanilla then you can soak some cotton balls in vanilla extract and put those around the house. My dad did that at work and it does work. Cheap and they stay pretty strong unlike some of the air fresheners you buy.
I wouldnt buy a spray air freshener, they are awful to breathe. I would buy a plug in, they seem to last longer than a spray or the candle air fresheners.
You can do it! You may need more than one day but you can do it!

When I was a teen I babysat for a friend of my neighbor and when I got to her house I was SHOCKED! Her house was FILTHY! There was moldy dishes EVERYWHERE, dog poo, pee and vomit everywhere. The house smelled SO bad. I had to wash dishes to feed them dinner. I couldn't sit anywhere because of the dog poop, on the furniture! The bathrooms were so unbelievably gross. Every surface was covered with dust, sticky crap and junk. Clothes everywwhere, trash everywhere. It was disturbing! She even brought her date into the house. The kids and I spent most of the night cleaning or playing outside. The kids were 4 & 9 and they WANTED to help clean, they hated living that way. I started picking up while I made dinner and they jumped right in to help. They wanted mommy to come home and be surprised by the change. I think she was offended but at my age I thought I was being helpful. So, your house cannot be that bad!

Are magic erasers worth the money? YES stock up on those things. What's a good multi-purpose cleaner? I use Fabuloso. How do you get permanent marker off of a fridge? (it's the pitted surface kind) Try the magic earser. What's your favorite air freshner? Febreeze - the Gain scent. And, are carpet deoderizers worth it? And, what would YOU recommend? I only use those in certian rooms and with cation (like just a springle) I think Glade makes a pretty good one.

wow, thanks...I didn't realize that. I assume they are attracted to the dirty laundry, and the mess though. I mean, the clutter alone, along with the mess the kids make (juice, food, etc...that I wasn't good about cleaning up) would be enough to make them feel right at home here. It's not THAT bad, but it was getting that way. Thanks again, that makes me feel better!

Quoting Anonymous:

Palmetto bugs are actually quiet different from roaches. They do not carry the diseases for one. They are actually quiet clean. They are just on Florida. Everywhere! I don't like them but having them does not mean dirty. Just saying

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